Know More About Pancreatic Cancer

One of the top news stories this week was our beloved Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The confirmation by her hometown local news station and family has swept the world and many prayers and positive notes were sent out to the Detroit native.

The undisclosed illness reported last week stirred around speculating about what Ms. Franklin’s illness was. Now, we know…Pancreatic Cancer.

If you’re not familiar with this type of cancer, here’s some information according to the Mayo Clinc:

Definition: Pancreatic cancer begins in the tissues of your pancreas — an organ in your abdomen that lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach. Your pancreas secretes enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of sugars.

Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why it’s a leading cause of cancer death. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced and surgical removal isn’t possible.

Presently, pancreatic cancer is incurable and the survival rate is 5-10% and even lower for someone of Ms. Franklin’s age and weight. However, one of the support websites, the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network lists several survival stories that are inspiring and hopeful.